Dropped $40 on a tuckpointer from Amazon and it chipped after 20 bricks

Bought a cheap tuckpointer to save time on a retaining wall repair and the tip snapped off by the second row, has anyone found a brand that actually holds up for full day use?

3 comments

3 Comments

gavin_kim312d ago

Are you locking your tuckpointer into a death grip the whole time you use it? I used to do the same thing when I first started bricklaying work a few summers back. Your hand vibrates a ton and if you squeeze too hard it transfers all that stress right into the tip and it'll snap on anything harder than soft clay. Loosen up your grip try letting the tool do more of the work and see if that changes things. Also check the angle you're holding it at cause if you're coming in too steep instead of shallow that puts way more pressure on the weak spot.

jaken2312d ago

Hang on, is a chipped tuckpointer really that big of a deal? Ive used a cheap one from Harbor Freight for years and it still works fine even if the tip is a little bent. Sounds like you might be putting too much pressure on it or the bricks were just way too hard. Maybe try a cold chisel and a hammer instead of dropping another $40 on a tool that'll probably chip again anyway.

tylerr3912d ago

Noticed this same thing with a lot of tools honestly. People get used to something working kinda sorta okay and then think anyone who wants a nicer version is being dramatic. Like with kitchen knives, I used a dull one for years until I got a decent $30 one and suddenly realized I was fighting the blade the whole time. Same with chisels. A bent tuckpointer might cut it for some jobs but if you're doing a whole wall or a big project, that slight wobble adds up and makes everything take way longer. Sometimes the cheap tool is fine for random one-off stuff, but if you're using it often, wearing it out faster makes perfect sense.